Home Work & Study
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

My CV...

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I'm a bit scared, and want to make sure I do things right here... I'm applying for quite a big job next year for my Year Abroad in Spain (I study modern languages), and I have to send off my CV with a cover letter. So how much information do I mention in the letter, and how much detail do I leave to the CV? I never got the relationship between cover letter and CV. I mean, do you have everything on your CV and just write a superficial cover letter saying how keen you are about the specific job? Or do you go into a lot of detail about your qualifications for the job in your cover letter, and then repeat it all in your CV?

Anyway, thanks for any tips :)

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Cv

    i think it is best to use the cover letter to draw attention to your cv (which kists all of your work/school experience), calling up the bits of your experience that tell the reader that you are the ONE for the job. a superficial cover letter almost always leads to a cv that is tossed or filed away, so it's very important to make a great impression right off the bat. so in your case, the letter points out the experience that you've had in modern languages that make you a great candidate for the year abroad in Spain. (in a previous life, as a manager, i used to read these for a living). feel free to send a draft to my email address and i'll take a look at them for you if you'd like. good luck!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Your cv mentions in bullet points your qualifications and experience. The covering letters draws in on whats on your cv but goes into more detail showing how your qualifications and experience make you right for the job.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In my opinion the letter would be a fairly brief affair detailing why you think you are right for the job, and maybe pointing out things in your CV that are not too obvious.

    The CV should really be able to stand by itself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    a cv should cover either 1 or 2 sides and never inbetween (like dont do 1 1/2 pages)
    the most relevent part of the cv for the relevent job is at the bottom of the first page if your doing 2 pages
    ive just done loads on cv writing at uni, learned lots of tricks and stuff so if you wanna know pm me, cant really remember it all at the mo
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks everyone :)
    So basically, the CV has everything, but the cover letter teases out a bit more detail on the relevant points, and goes a bit more into the actual job you're applying for? Ok...

    Blah_x2 wrote:
    the most relevent part of the cv for the relevent job is at the bottom of the first page if your doing 2 pages
    Sorry, don't really understand this bit... is this a secret tactic I've never heard of, or a special order for things? My CV has DOB and other important details right at the top, with a couple of lines about how fantastic I am, then academic qualifications, then work experience, then other random skills like typing etc, and then references at the bottom. That sound about right?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lauretta wrote:
    Thanks everyone :)
    My CV has DOB

    Take that off. You age can only go against you, unless there is a minim age requirement.
    then references at the bottom.

    Take that off too, the CV is about YOU and if the company want reference you should supply them under spearate cover.

    FYI I would include hobbies and interests too. At interview this tells you more about the person's character than the rest of the CV which is more about the person's abilities...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Top 10 CV Tips

    This might help you from the Graduate Recruitment Bureau

    http://www.grb.uk.com/resource/uploads/10_CVtips.pdf

    www.grb.uk.com
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've just sent off my application. Eeek! :crazyeyes

    Thanks for all your advice, I took it on board - just so you know, I'll be blaming you lot when I don't get the job!!
Sign In or Register to comment.